Can AI Freeze Salaries?

Transparent ice blocks aligned on a cold surface, symbolizing a technology freeze and stalled innovation
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Rethinking Junior Talent in Tech

Generative AI is not just transforming business processes—it’s reshaping the tech job market at unprecedented speed. Roles that were once typical entry points are now automated with surgical precision. So, what happens to junior talent? And how should highly regulated industries like pharma adapt?

What Big Consultancies Are Signaling

Leading consultancies like EY, PwC, and Deloitte have recently frozen salaries for junior staff. This is not just a cost-saving move—it’s a response to the automation of repetitive, low-complexity tasks that used to be the foundation of junior roles.

“The market is not eliminating junior talent—it’s redesigning it with new skills and expectations.”

Tasks such as financial analysis, audit prep, and data collection are now being handled by algorithms. This forces companies to rethink how they build career paths and talent pipelines, especially in industries competing for high-demand tech profiles.

A Pharma-Specific Challenge

In pharma, the situation is even more complex. The demand for specialized tech talent is rising fast, especially in areas like:

  • Clinical and regulatory process automation: Reducing errors and timelines in clinical trials and documentation workflows.
  • Data governance and compliance: Ensuring traceability, quality, and regulatory alignment.
  • AI-driven R&D: Accelerating drug discovery and improving prediction of safety and efficacy.
  • Legacy-to-cloud integration: Modernizing infrastructure while retaining control of critical systems.

However, traditional junior talent doesn’t fit easily into this new context, where even entry-level roles require fluency in AI frameworks, DevOps, cloud, and advanced analytics.

So the question is: How do you build a talent pipeline without a pipeline?

From Functional Juniors to Specialized Juniors

Pharma IT and data leaders are starting to realize: generalist juniors are no longer enough. Today, companies need:

  • Junior hires with applied tech skills from day one
  • Faster learning curves and efficient onboarding cycles
  • Continuous training in AI, automation, and digital platforms
  • Hands-on experience with tools once reserved for senior profiles
“Automation has eliminated tasks—but not the need for talent. It has simply raised the entry bar.”

Junior talent must now deliver value immediately, without increasing fixed costs or losing flexibility.

A New Talent Architecture

This change demands a new approach to talent architecture, where the difference between junior and senior is no longer just about time, but about:

  • Adaptability to fast-changing tech environments
  • Autonomy in automated systems
  • Understanding of AI models in business context
  • A strong culture of self-learning and experimentation

Value is no longer based on years of experience—it’s defined by speed in acquiring new digital skills.

How Pharma Can Respond

To stay competitive, pharma companies must urgently rethink their tech talent strategy. Key actions include:

  • Redesigning hiring processes to prioritize tech-readiness even at junior levels
  • Creating internal learning paths to accelerate digital maturity
  • Partnering with universities and AI institutes to align training with real-world needs
  • Strengthening the business-tech connection, so even juniors understand their impact
“The goal isn’t to replace human talent—but to amplify its value from day one in increasingly automated environments.”

Hierarchies Are Out, Agility Is In

Freezing junior salaries is a symptom of a deeper shift: traditional career paths in tech are breaking down.

In their place, a new model is emerging—where automation coexists with agile, value-driven talent. Pharma, with its regulatory complexity and knowledge intensity, must embrace this shift.

Rethinking tech talent isn’t optional—it’s the only way to stay relevant in an AI-driven future.

Sources

Antonio Castaño

Autor Antonio Castaño Romero